Almost Perfect
by Snotchi
Summary: A story about Ranko, Ranma's other half. Summary: Ranma is feeling peeved about Ranko hagging around him all the time. But when Ranko starts having dreams, Ranma knows everything is going to hell. Will Ranma survive? Is there more to Ranko? Will Akan
1. Pigtailed Girl

Almost Perfect  
Chapter 1: Pigtailed girl  
It was the same old day, the morning sun beating upon their faces, Ranma running along the fence, and Akane running along side him. Her school uniform fluttered as she raced towards school.But there was someone else with them, someone with red heair, and a vlue school uniform; just like Akane's. She trailed behind them, screaming at them to slow down.  
  
  
"A-akane! Ranma!! Slow down! I can't run that fast!" the red head screamed as she panted along, trying to keep up. Akane gave a small groan and looked back at the red head impatiently. Ranma glanced at Akane.  
  
"Aw, come on Akane, she isn't as skilled as you. You need to learn to accept people when they aren't as fast as you," Ranma said hopping down from the fence, and running along said thered head instead. Akane frowned.  
  
"Shut up!" she screamed and smacked Ranma in the face with her bookbag. He stopped for a minute, thrown off balance by the sudden blow to the face,"I CAN accept people when they aren't as fast as me! I never implied that I didn't!" Ranma caught up again and then smirked.  
  
  
"Oh really? Then what was that groan for?" he asked suspicously. Akane stopped, suddenly speechless. It was as if she could only focus on the question, and try to find an equally rude reply to hit Ranma with. Ranma stopped and looked back at Akane, who was red in the face with no answer. Ranma turned away.  
  
  
"Come on Ranko, lets go before this tomboy thinks of something else to say,"he said to the red head. Ranko glanced back at Akane.  
  
  
"That's not nice Ran-" but Ranko was cut off when she saw Ranma look back at her. She dropped her head and nodded instead. Akane watched them run ahead. Her eyes shone, slightly. Looking down, sh continued to school, at a sad jog.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
When she reached the gate, she stopped her slow pace of running, and walked slowly into school. Ranma had taken so much out of her these past few days. The hurtful names like Tomboy, had become unbearable, and slowly, she had been getting more and more depressed. Her heart wasn't in her, and fighting seemed so pointless, meaningless, stupid. She barely noticed Kuno embrace her.  
  
  
"My sweet Akane Tendo! Why are you so sad? Could it be the illusive Ranma Saotome?! Curses!" he shouted hugging Akane to his chest. Akane just pushed him away, rather then punting him over the city as usual. Kuno looked over in shock as he watched Akane slump to class. He did even try to stop her; he just watched her in shock. But he soon snapped out of his trance to see Ranko in a school uniform.  
  
  
"What's this? My sweet pigtailed maiden in school garments? How intriguing" Kuno said slyly. Ranko looked around the school aimlessly, and slightly frightened. Kuno ran over insanely and latched onto her.  
  
  
"Pigtailed grl! How lovely you ar-" But he was cut off wth Ranma's elbow in his face.  
  
  
"Hey don't touch my....er....cousin Kuno!" he snarled hesitently. Kuno rubbed his face.   
"Cousin?" he asked. Ranko cocked her head at him and giggled.  
  
"Hello, my name is Ranko Saotome. Who are you?" she asked him. Kuno's eyes shone.  
  
"Ranko!! The heavens sing such a sweet melody when your name is spoken! But alas, you are a Saotome. Oh well, no matter. When our love blossoms, a name cannot come between us." Kuno said embracing her again. Ranma kick Kuno in the face who fell over. Ranko bent over and looked at him.  
  
  
"Who are you?" she repeated. Kuno stood up, tears running down his cheeks.  
  
"Who am I?! After all the time I've spent with you! All our memories! How can you not know who I am?!" he asked dramatically.   
  
  
"Time? Memories? I've never seen you before in my life," Ranko said, her voice quavering with surprise. Kuno stared at her in shock.  
  
  
"Kuno, the redhead girl you are thinking of is Ranko's identical twin. Unfortunately, she was klled in a car crash. THIS is Ranko Saotome," Ranma said pointing to Ranko. Ranko smiled at him and waved. Kuno blinked as he let everything settle in.  
  
  
"So what you're saying is...there has been two pigtailed goddess all along?! And you never told me?!" Kuno asked. Ranma sighed.  
  
  
"Yeah Kuno, whatever."  
  
  
"Then let me introduce myself to THIS pigtai- I mean Ranko. Behold! I am the rising sun, the champion of the school's kendo club. I am know as the blue thunder of Furikan High! Tatiwaki Kuno, age 17," he said bowing and giving her a rose. Ranko looked at it fondly and smiled.  
  
  
"Oh thank you," she said politely, reaching out to take the rose. Ranma smacked to rose from Kuno's hand.  
  
  
"Saotome! Stop interfering!" Kuno screamed at him furiously. Ranko looked at Ranma crossly. Ranma's expression was so full of rage and hatrid, and his hand were place firmly on his hips, as his beady eyes glared at Ranko. She bit her lip sadly, and lowered her eyes.  
  
  
"Ranko! What are you doing?! You don't even know Kuno! Don't you ever take anything from this guy! He will always find someway to use it against you! How can you be so stupid!" he shouted at her. Ranko bowed.  
  
  
"Sorry Ranma..." she said quietly. Kuno suddenly lashed out at Ranma. Ranma managed to step out of the way in time.  
  
  
"Rana! How dare you try and control her life! Let us be! Can't you see we are in love?! You are some sickminded fool if you have such feeling for your cousin!" Kun yelled, his voice enraged.  
  
  
"What?! You are sick Kuno! That's it! I can't take it anymore! Ran your own life Ranko, but don't come crying to me when you have a puny wedding ring on your finger and you are walking down the aisle next to Tatikawi Kuno!" he said angrily, stalking into school in a huff. Ranko stood there, her eyes shining. Her eyes stared at him sadly, the tears running down her cheeks, without even a sob leaking from her. Through the short time of being with there, Ranma had been so degrading to her, that she had once been fresh, and spunky, but now she had been reduced to a shy, quiet girl. Maybe Ranma felt threatened by her, or even embarrased that she used to be part of him. Whatever it was, he was very hard on Ranko.  
  
  
"That's right Ranma! You just keep walking! Now the truth of our love can blossom!" Kuno said dramatically. Quickly he embraced her, and held Rankot his chest. Ranko did nothing, but suddenly began to cry hysterically. Kuno looked down at her, and pulled her away from him by her shoulders, so he could look into her face. It was so sad, that it would make anyone who saw it want to cry as well. It was twisted; eyes shut tight, bottom lip turned up, and the sides of the mouth turned down. She was biting her lip to keep from crying, but it wasn't helping at all. The tears poured from her eyes, and she sobbed insanely. Kuno hugged her tight again.  
  
  
"Saotome! He has upset my beautiful goddess! I will destroy him!" Kuno shouted furiously. Ranko grabbed his arm and looked him straight in the face,shaking her head.  
  
  
"Don't hurt Ranma! Please! He didn't do anything wrong! It's all my fault! Don't punish himon my behalf!" she cried, her dark, blue eyes wide. Suddenly the bell rang, and Kuno still stood with no reply, so Ranko gathered up her books, and ran to class in tears.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"Everyone, we have a new student. This is Ranko Saotome. She is Ranma Saotome's..." the teacher trailed off, wait for Ranko to fill in the blank. There she was, standing in front of the class, shyly looking at the floor. Suddenly she loked up.  
  
  
"Oh, I'm his sis-"  
  
  
"Cousin!" Ranma said standing up suddenly, "she is my cousin." Ranko was about to retort, but then Ranma flashed her a look that made her fall silent intantly.  
  
  
"Ranma's cousin," the teacher finished, " she will be in our class from now on, so let's give her a warm Nihao Welcome. Your late traits, because just like Ranma, even thought it is your first day, that doesn't excuse the fact that you were late. So go stand in the hall." Ranko looked up in surprise.  
  
  
"But Mr-" she stopped when she saw the teacher's expression flare up in surprise that she would test him. She closed her mouth and bit her lip. Quietly she headed for the door. Suddenly, the books slipped from her arms, and they toppled over and hit the floor. She blushed, and desperately tried to gather then up, but the more she tried, the more they fell to the ground. The whole class began to snicker at this, but by the time she fumbling to the point of humiliation, the class was hysterical with laughter. The only two people who didn't laugh, were Akane ( who sat silently in the back of the class), and Ranma who smacked his forehead and shook his head. Suddenly, everyone stopped laughing to see a young man with black hair, and glinting brown eyes, stoop down and helped Ranko with her books. He picked them up, and handed them to her neatly.  
  
  
"Here you are," he said to her. Ranko would have turned redder if she could have, but she could onl take her books, bow, and go into the hall in humiliation.  
  
  
"Who are you?" the teacher said angrily. The boy looked up and scratched his head.  
  
  
"Hey! That's-" Akan started.  
  
  
"Yep, it Ryouga," Ranma said, slightly horror struck to see him.  
  
  
"Uh, I'm Ryouga Hibiki. I'm sorry, I got lost. Can you tell me how to get out of here?" Ryoga asked.  
  
  
"No! You are disrupting class!" the teacher yelled. Ryoga blinked and bowed.  
  
  
"Sorry, I'm leave," he said, exiting the room. Ranma suddenly stood up.  
  
  
"Hey Ryouga! How did you get lost in a school building?! You arn't even suppose to be in here in the first place!" Ranma screamed from the back of the class.  
  
  
"Ranma! Go stand in the hall! Geez! You Saotome's cause so much trouble!" the teacher said a angrily. Ranma sighed, and went into the hall. Ranko looked up, drying her eyes.  
  
  
"Ranko! You are making me look like an idiot!" Ranma hissed when Ryouga had closed to door behind him. Ranko looked at him sadly.  
  
  
"How so?" Ranko asked quietly.  
  
  
"Oh, Just never mind! You wouldn't understand!" he said harshly, swinging around, and picking up a water bucket, that sat outside the class room.  
  
  
"Hey Ranma! You're so crule! What gives you the right to treat anyone like this?!" Ryouga snapped angrily.   
  
  
"Oh come on! Don't I have enough people mad at me today! Akane, Kuno, Ranko-"  
  
  
"I'm not mad at you,"Ranko said quietly looking up.  
  
  
"Oh yeah? Well the way you were hanging all over Kuno, youd think something was up," Ranma snapped. Suddenly, something clicked in Ryoga's head.  
  
"Hey! Wait a minute! Arn't you...Ranma?" he said pointing at Ranko. Ranko looked up at him, and shook her head.  
  
  
"Not anymore." Ryoga blinked and scratched his head.  
  
  
"Ranma, do explain," Ryoga said turning to Ranma. Ranma sighed.  
  
  
"It all started a month ago..."  
  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
  
"Huh? Mousse? What are you doing here?" Ranma said in shock to see Mousse grinning happily, and strolling into Ukyo's Okonomiyaki's shop. He sat down at the counter and ordered a spinach okonomyaki. This was odd, since Mousse could just eat at the Cat Cafe for free, and since he worked there, it was no problem. It was also weird, since Mousse had never even set foot in the Okonomiyaki shop, and he was acting like it was perfectly natural. Mousse looked over at Ranma, the happy smirk still lingering across his face.  
"Oh, I just found out some amazing news from the old, dried-up monkey," Mousse said casually, leaning on the counter. At this remark, Ranma half expected the old bat to come bounding in on her staff, and start beating Mousse over the head. He blinked and turned up his nose.  
"Who Cologne? Humph! Well if it came from her, it con't have much use to me, unless it's something i will find out in the near future. It's probably some new tactic Shampoo has for trying to get me to marry her," Ranma said snootily.  
"Saotome, how dare you speak of Shampoo in such an ill tone," Mousse said, his voice enraged. Suddenly, he bit his lip and calmed down.  
"I must restrain myself," Mousse said quietly. Then he threw up his hands and said, "besides, it's my gain and your loss anyways. That's right Ranma, it didn't have to do with Shampoo, but mainly the horrid curse I have." Mousse smirked to see Ranma perk up.  
"Your curse? Is she getting you contacts?" Ranma asked as Mousse fell over.  
"No! You idiot! My curse is that i turn into a duck!" Mousse hollored at Ranma.  
"Oh? What about it?" Ranma asked nonchalantly. Mousse knew it was trying to come in for the kill.  
"Well, the old bat told me how to get rid of it. So that mean if I use it properly, I will never turn into a duck again. Ever." Mousse said his voice sinking into Ranma's skull. Ranma gasped and looked at him in shock, before he jumped on Mousse, and grabbed the neck on his shirt.  
"Tell me! Tell me what that old bat told you!!" Ranma said tugging on Mousse's collar. Mousse smirked.  
"Why should I help you? All you've done is made my life miserable," Mousse said calmly. Ranma's eyes bulged.  
"Me?! Make your life miserable?! You sonavabitch! All I do is walk by you and, you attack me! You should be helping me as a debt!" Ranma shouted in rage, twisting Mousse's collar slightly. Mousse frowned and shoved Ranma off of him.  
"Hah! You have been try to steal my dear Shampoo from me for years! Can't you see-"  
"No can't YOU see! Shampo has been glomping me since she first arrived, without my consent. But then again, i shouldn't expect you to know that since you're blinder then a bat," Ranma said darkly. Mousse frowned.  
"That is so untrue!!" Mousse shouted.  
"Actually, it is true Mousse," Ukyo said angrily flipping his okinomiyaki, "that little bitch has been annoying Ran-chan all this time. t's not his fault that the bitch won't leave him alone."  
"DON'T CALL HER A BITCH!!" Mousse yelled. Suddenly, someone enter the shop.  
"Don't call who bitch, Mousse?" Shampoo asked as she entered, "Mousse should no be using such language. It bad. Very very bad."  
"Shampoo!" Mousse shouted in glee. But as he was about to embrace her, she spotted Ranma, and glomped him happily. Mousse turned around in circles a couple of times, before he saw Shampoo hanging off of Ranma.  
"Now do you believe me Mousse?" Ranma said in an annoyed voice. Mousse frowned in disgust.  
"Shampoo is merely fixated on you," Mousse said feircely. Shampoo glared at him.  
"Mousse you go to cafe`!! Great-grandmother want to see you!! Leave Shampoo alone in her happiness," she said angrily. Mousse looked shocked, but then looked down sadly. Nodding, he left the shop silently. Ranma suddnly ran after him.  
"Oh no you don't! If the old bat wants you, it might be abou t the curse! I'm coming too!" Ranma said chasing after Mousse until his pace fell into line with his. Shampoo slid off of Ranma and gazed up at him.  
"Ranma! Some silly curse more important to you then Shampoo?" she said in a hurt voice.  
"You're damn skippy!" Ranma said as he walk along with Mousse.  
That was the first time Shampoo ever felt the rejection that Ranma felt for her.  
  
  
"Granny! Hey Granny!" Ranma said walking up to the wrinkled up old woman. Cologne looked up at Ranma.  
"Ah! Son-in-law! How good of you to drop by! Did you come by to ask for Shampoo?" Cologne asked in glee. Ranma frowned.  
"Hell no! I wanted to know about this way to get rid of the curse!" Ranma shouted at her. Cologne glared at Mousse.  
"Mousse, when i said you could have the medicine, i didn't mean you could blab it to the first person you saw!"  
"Hey, look! You promised to tell me, so cough up how to stop turning into a duck!"  
"Alright alright!" Cologne sighed, "I'll tell you. There is only one way to get rid of the curse you bare, and that is to take this..." Cologne handed him a bag of green powder. Ranma gaped.  
"Hey! I want some! Give me some!" Ranma shouted. Cologne sighed.  
"Son-in-law, stop shouting. Aright, you may have some..." she handed ran a pouch as well. Ranma flipped open the pouch and was about to pour the powder down his throat when Cologne stopped him  
"Son-in-law! Stop! You can't take it like that! if you do, it will do nothing for you!" Ranma growled.  
"So then what do I do, Granny!"  
"You must place this powder in a cup of warm wter, with ice cubes in it. Then, you must swallow the wholething, icecubes and all. Understood?" Cologne asked them. Ranma nodded.  
"Alright! Now I can stop being a girl, forever!" With that, he ran back to the tendo's.  
  
  
"Get out of my way, pervert!" Akane screamed at Ranma when he was in her way in the hall. Ranma nodded slightly.  
"Oh, sorry about that Akane...." Ranma said in a hypnotic voice. He stepped aside.  
"Huh Ranma? Are you feeling okay?" Akane asked.  
"Of course Akane, what would make you think that i'm not?" Ranma asked in the same hypnotic voice.  
"Ranma...you're scaring me," Akane said taking a step away from him.  
"Sorry Akane, I didn't mean to scare you..." Ranma said as he walked away to the kitchen. Akane's face filed with worry.  
"Ranma.....what's gotten in to him? He seem almost nice...." Akane said quietly. She then proceeded to follow him to the kitchen to ask him what was up. suddenly, she heard Ranma chuckling. Akane stopped and peeped in. There he was, laughing sinisterly, and pouring some warm water into a glass.  
"Heheheheheh....good-bye girl form....heheheheh..." he snickered as he put in the ice cubes. Akane raised an eyebrow.  
"What the? Ice cubes in warm water? He has gone mad!" But that was when she saw the green powder being poured into the glass. Ranma didn't evn bother stirring or waiting. With a huge grin on his face, he said, "Good-bye Ran-chan!" and dumped the whole glass of water in his mouth, swallowing the ice cubes whole. Ranma closed his eyes and shivered as the ice cubed banged against the inside of his throat. Suddenly, he gagged and fell to the foor. Akane screamed and ran to his side.  
"Ranma! Ranma! What's happening to you? Ranma!" Akane screamed. Ranma groaned, and looked up at her. And for the first time in a long time, anma smiled at her. It was weak, but true. He raised a hand and touched her cheek.  
"Don't worry about me....Akane....everything is gonna be.....just fine now....."the he groaned loudly. Suddenly, a flash of green light appeared around Ranma, and from his chest, came a ghostly figure of a girl. Akane gasped. The girl was Ran-chan. The ghost Ran-chan landed lightly beside Ranma. The green light faded from them, and left in the place of the ghostly ran-chan, ws Ran-chan herself. Akane stepped back.  
"B-but how?" Suddenly, Ranma groaned and woke upfrom his painful state. His eyes lit up and he ran to the sink, where he proceeded to dumped cold water over his head. He looked at himslef in glee.  
"I-it worked! It actually worked!" Ranma shouted. Leaping around the room, he grasped Akane's hands and jumped up and down. Akane gave him a sad look.  
"Ranma...what is going on?" she asked him.  
"I got rid of it! I finally got rid of it!" he shouted in glee.  
"Got rid of what?!" Akane screamed at him.  
"My curse! My curse it gone!" Ranma said smiling huge and still jumping around.  
"But ranma....isn't that....?" akane fell silent and pointed to the girl. Ranma stopped jumping around instantly, and the moment his eyes fell upon her, his happy smile faded.  
"B-but i thought i got rid of.... no....t-this isn't happening! This another dream! Another fucking dream!" he shouted slamming his fist into the wall. Akane grabbed his arms.  
"Ranma! This isn't a dream! This is serious! Now what did you take!" she screamed at him. Ranma looked down.  
"The old bat found out a way to cure my curse....so she gave me the stuff.." ranma fell silent, "what is going on Akane? What is happening...." Akane wrapped her arms around him. As soon as she did,she wanted to pull away from her sudden insanity, but she couldn't do it, because Ranma had started to shake, as he forced back his tears.The girl suddenly sat up, her eyes shut tight. After sitting there for about two seconds, she opened her two big, blue, alert eyes. She looked around, very new, very naive, so sweet....  
"Um excuse me, who are you?" Akane asked her. The girl looked and Akane, a big smile on her face.  
"I'm Ranko! Who are you?"  
~~~~~  
"....and that is how Ranko came into this world." Ranko had silent the whole time, not moving, just looking down. Ryoga looked at Ranko.   
  
"So, you arn't Ranma?" he asked her.  
  
"No..I'm Ranko Saotome," she said, a depressed feeling hanging over her. Suddenly, Kuno came out of the room, his eye staring intensly at the three of them.  
  
"Saotome! What do you think- Pigtailed maiden! Ranko! How lovely to see you again my love!" he said in surprise. Ranko looked up at him. Ranma sighed in frustration. He could tell already it was going to be a long day....  
  
  



	2. Blinding Pain and Jealousy

Almost Perfect  
Chapter 2: Blinding Pain and Jealousy  
Ranma eyes flickered back and forth between Kuno and Ranko. She obviously thought Kuno was something he wasn't. He straightened up slightly.  
"Back off Kuno. Just go back to class," Ranma said, an obvious anger rising in his voice.  
"Saotome! I'm not going to tell you again! Stay out of our love! And I can't go back to class. The teacher sent me out for falling asleep, and snoring so loud he couldn't teach his lecture," Kuno replied his voice with an audible tone of high opinion in himself. Ranko laughed at this, but covered her mouth instantaneously when she realized what she was doing. Kuno looked at her waving a rose in front of his face.  
"Ah, the sweet laugh of my new maiden, Ranko. How enticing," he said dramatically. Ranko giggled appreciatively.  
"Ranko, why can't you ever listen to me? Kuno is just going to suck you in, an you'll be an unhappy girl at his command," Ranma told her.  
"Ranma what is your problem? Why can't you ever just let her think for herself? Just because you used to be able to control your girl half, doesn't mean you can anymore," Ryouga snapped. Ranko looked up at Ryouga, her big blue eyes staring up at him. He looked down at her, and flinched in surprise. Ranko grinned at him.  
"Thank you Ryouga, that is highly appreciated," Ranko said.  
"Ah, Ryouga is it? Trying to steal Ranko away from me, are you? Well you can have her! Can't you see we are in love!" Kuno shouted desperately, pulling Ranko into an embrace. Ranma flipped Kuno off.  
"Fuck off Kuno!" he yelled. Ranko ducked out of Kuno's embrace and gasped.  
"Ranma, you shouldn't use such language," Ranko said to him.  
"Oh you are going to reprimand me, when you're the dirty whore?" Ranma asked her. Ranko's jaw dropped.  
"I-I I'm not a dirty whore!" Ranko breathed in frustration. The door of the classroom suddenly opened.  
"What are you students doing out here? I can't concentrate with this constant racket!" the teacher yelled, "Now you either stand out here quietly, or you stand outside!" Ranko looked at him.  
"Are you serious?" she asked him.  
"Yes I'm serious!"  
"Well, that is the dumbest question in the world! Of course I want to stand outside!" she shouted happily and ran down the hallway. All stood still. The teacher, Kuno, and Ranma all stood with their jaw hanging open. Ryouga was the only one who shrugged and followed Ranko casually. Ranma dropped his heads into a bow.  
"Sorry sir," Ranma said quietly.  
***  
"Ranko!" Ryouga called as he picked up the pace behind her. She was outside standing with her face looking up at the sun. She stretched happily.  
"Oh! What a nice day it is!" she said happily, throwing her school bag down. She spun around in a circle once. As she did, she tripped on a rock and fell over. Ryouga ran over to where she lay, and squatted down next to her.  
"Are you okay?" he asked her. She sat up laughing happily.  
"Yeah I'm just great!" she said smiling. Ryouga smiled back, letting his fangs show. Ranko's youthful personality was so refreshing to him. Ranko squirmed uncomfortable.  
"Ugh, its so hot!" Ranko said in frustration. Her eyes lit up happily, as they fell upon the school's pool. She gasped happily.  
"Ryouga! Let's go swimming!" she said happily. Ryouga's eyes widened and he laughed nervously.  
"Uh, no thanks!" he said.  
"Aw, come on! It'll be fun!" she shouted happily.  
"No no, I ca-" he stopped talking and he almost screamed in shock to see Ranko ripping off her clothes. She pulled off her little black shoes and her school uniform, so that she was in her underwear and bra. She laughed gleefully.  
"Come on Ryouga!" she shouted again as she ran to the pool. She stopped when she reached the edge and tested the water with her foot. Then she dove in the water. Ryouga walked over to the edge of the pool and looked into the water. When Ranko didn't resurface right away, he got slightly worried.  
"Ranko? Where'd you go?" Ryouga asked. He scanned the water. The time that passed felt like eternity, and as each second passed, Ryouga felt the worry rise in him. Suddenly, he saw Ranko float up in the center of the pool, face down in the water, unconscious.  
"Ranko!" Ryouga shouted. She didn't move. His first instinct was to jump in the water, but he knew that once he did, he would become P-chan, and he knew it would be too difficult getting Ranko out of the water. He looked around momentarily, and then pulled out a rope. Swinging, it, he managed to hook it around a tree branch that was above the pool. Quickly, he swung over the water, using the water, and grabbed Ranko as he swung by. He landed safely in the tree with her. She shook her but she didn't wake up.  
"Ranko! Wake up! Ranko!" she didn't wake up. Ryouga leaned down to her mouth, and place his ear just above it. She wasn't breathing. Tilting her head back, he pinched her nose and pressed his lips against hers, as he let his breath enter her lungs. He did this again. And again. Suddenly, Ranko coughed up water into Ryouga's mouth. He spit it out with a disgusted look on his face. Ranko sat up, holding her head, as she leaned her back against the tree base.   
"A-are you okay Ranko?" Ryouga asked. Ranko nodded.  
"I hit my head on the bottom of the pool… you saved my life. Thank you…." She said looking at Ryouga. Ryouga turned pink and humbly put his hand behind his head.  
"Oh it was no trouble," he replied. Ranko's eyes suddenly met with Ryouga's, and they stared at each other for the longest moment. They leaned closer to each other slightly, but their trance was brought to a halt when Ranma started screaming at them.  
"Ryouga! What the hell are you doing you sick sonavabitch!" he yelled. Ryouga looked down at Ranma. Then he looked back up at Ranko. That when he realized it. Ranko was in her bra and underwear still!  
"Oh! No! No! It's not what it looks like!" Ryouga said waving his hands at Ranma, "I was just-"  
"Trying to rape her!" Ranma screamed at him, leapt up, knocking Ryouga out of the tree. They landed on the grass, where Ranma started kicking the crap out of Ryouga. Ranko climbed down the tree, and ran over to Ranma.  
"Stop it Ranma! Stop!" she screamed. He didn't listen to her, so she jumped on his back, and started hitting him on his back. Akane suddenly appeared, and had a furious look on her face. She ripped Ranko off of Ranma and slapped her so hard in the face, blood came from her lip. Ranko's eyes stared at Akane.  
"What the hell do you think you are doing to Ranma!" she screamed at her. Ranma looked up at the sound of Akane's voice. He stopped hitting Ryouga and stared at her.  
"A-Akane…. Jealous?" he asked.  
*~*~*  
"Come with me Ranko, you can trust me…" the man said. He had thick black hair, and his eyes were always shaded so Ranko couldn't see what he looked like. She nodded and followed him; he took her to an apartment room that read 'B3'. He opened the door and let her in the room. She looked around the room to see all that was in there was a bed. Ranko suddenly realized his intentions and turned around to leave, but the man locked the door behind him, and grabbed Ranko's wrists. She screamed out in fear, as he threw her down on the bed, his body lying on top of hers. She kept screaming, and fighting to get him off of her, but she was so weak, that she was unable to get him off. He pinned her down to the bed, as he pulled off their clothes. She wept loudly, as soon she knew they would enter each other. She let the tears run down her cheeks, as she screamed for help, and no help came for her. His body was now pressed so hard against hers; she thought she would be smashed before he could do anything to her. The pain of their naked bodies pressed together, and her lack of ability to do anything about it…  
*~*~*  
Ranko woke up in the middle of the night screaming, her bands plastered to her head from sweat of the terrible dream. Ranma moaned as he woke up, but the giant panda just sniffed and rolled over. Ranma sat up and looked over at Ranma who was screaming uncontrollably.   
"What? What? What is your problem Ranko?" he said irritably. Ranko's screams subsided, and she turned into a tight ball as she started crying. Ranma crawled over to her, and poked her in the arm.  
"Hey! What's your problem?" he asked her. Even though Ranma was so mean to her, he still felt a strong affinity to her, like a brother loves his younger sister. Ranko looked up at Ranma with her tear stained face.  
"Ranma! I was so scared! So scared!" she wept, as she hugged him tightly. Ranma looked down at her, and put his arm around her.  
"Did you have a bad dream?" he asked her. Ranko continued to cry.  
"It was horrible Ranma. Please don't leave me all alone. Don't leave me," she begged him as the tears continued to run down her face, and over her bloody lip Akane had given her earlier in the day.   
"Okay, I'll stay with you," he promised. Ranko press her face into his rippling chest. They sat like this for the longest time. He just let her cry into him, and she wept openly, until she couldn't cry anymore, and she fell asleep in his arms, her head in his lap. During this time Akane had managed to stumble into the room, and slide the door open. She threw had thrown a pillow at Ranko and mumbled for her to stop making so much noise before walking back to bed.  
***  
The months passed slowly; the school learns to accept Ranko. Kuno continued his feeble attempts to win Ranko over, and she accepts them graciously, without giving in. Ranko's lip healed, but her heart remained in pain. Ryouga healed too, but his heart was still the same, unchanging. Ranma was still confused about how jealous Akane had acted, and he spent a lot of school hour daydreaming. He was very forgiving when Ranko and Ryouga had explained the situation to him, about the day he found the two of them in the tree, yet he now was becoming suspicious again since Ranko laughed more openly now, and she always seemed happy, even when Ranma was angry at her.  
Sleep was useless in the Tendo house. At least once a week, Ranko would wake up screaming and crying from horrible nightmares. No one could ever find out what they were about because she wouldn't tell them. She would just screaming and crying, begging them not to leave her until she fell asleep from exhaustion. The next morning when they would ask her what her dream was about, she would look away sadly without answering. The dreams were always had the same theme. That horrible rape scene. Ranko found the dreams would last longer now, and she couldn't force herself awake, as she would like to.  
One night, Ranma woke up to Ranko stepping on his stomach. He looked at her, to see her with her eyes half open, and a scared expression on her face. She looked around frantically in her little blue nightgown, her blue eyes streaming with tears. Suddenly, she gasped and started running out of the room. Ranma stood and followed her. She ran out the door of the house, ran down the street, screaming as Ranma followed her. She ran all the way to downtown. When she reached a wall, she climbed up and ran along the roof. Ranma followed her is worried pursuit. Ranko backed away to the edge of the roof, and looked down with a terrified expression. She was crying, and begging for someone to stay away from her. Ranma scratched his head.  
"Ranko? What's wrong with you?" Ranma asked urgently. Suddenly, she clutched her chest, and a golden light exploded around her. She went limp as the golden light carried her off the ground a few inches. Ranma stared in awe and fear covering his entire face. Wings sprouted from Ranko's back, and grew to full size. Two feathery white wings exploding from her back, and stretching out wide. The light faded away, except for a golden outline around Ranko. Ranko placed her hand in front of her mouth a pressed her lips to it. She then blew a kiss in Ranma direction. Golden dust sailed in his direction. Ranma tried to get out of the way, but he inhaled some of it. He coughed and sank to his knees. Ranko floated down to the ground, and smiled at Ranma. She took one step and stopped. The golden light faded away, and she fell to the ground. Ranma shook his head, and ran over to Ranko.  
"Ranko! Ranko! Wake up!" he shouted shaking her. She opened her eyes wide, screaming as loud as she could. She then covers her mouth and stopped screaming.  
"Oh my god…. oh my god," she said looking at Ranma horror struck.   
"Ranko what's wrong?"  
"Oh my god, Ranma… did I blow a golden dust at you?" she asked him.  
"Yeah, why?" Ranko closed her eyes, a tears squeezed out from her right eye.  
"Ranma… you are…."  
"I'm what?"  
"You are…." Ranko's voice was full of pain as she let the words slip from her lips.  
"You are going to disappear…."  
  
To be continued…  



	3. An Angel's Dream

Chapter 3:An Angel's Dream  
Ranma stared at Ranko in disbelief for a few moments.  
"What?" Ranko looked down, her face full of shame and sadness creasing her face.  
"Oh Ranma! I've been having such horrible dream…horrible, horrible dreams….." Ranko said her voice getting quiet.  
"But what did you just say. Did you say that I was going to disappear?" he asked her. She nodded.  
"Why? Just from a little gold dust?" he asked her. She closed her eyes.  
"That isn't just gold dust. It's one of my powers. I can make people disappear, by just blowing that dust at them," she said to Ranma, her voice saddened.  
"So why the hell did you blow it at me?!"  
"I didn't mean to Ranma! I was dreaming!" Ranko said anxiously, "please forgive me…"  
"So, does this have some kind of link to the dreams you've been having?" Ranma asked her. She nodded.  
"What are your dreams about?' Ranma asked Ranko. Ranko looked away.  
"Ranko?" No reply.  
"Ranko, this isn't a game I have to know what's in your dreams. If this has something to do with me disappearing, then I need to know!" Ranma told her, his voice rising with impatience. Ranko nodded.  
"I know Ranma…." She then looked at him, a painful expression lingering on her face. She stuck her palm out and in it appeared a little blue gem in the shape of a diamond. Picking it up, she held it up.  
"Ranma, this will show you what is in my dreams…" she said, and before he could reply she placed it on his forehead. There was a sudden jolt through his body, and he squeezed his eyes closed. When his eyes opened, he was in a new place. His eyes scanned over the barren new world. Hat was when his eyes layed on Ranko. She was in a blue kimono, and she was sitting on a bench, all alone, as if in deep thought. She began to speak.  
"Why doesn't anyone love me? Why do they hate me so much? What have I done to upset them?" Ranko asked herself sadly. A man dressed in black with black hair stood before her and she looked up at him. Ranma felt an uneasy presence about him.  
"Come with me Ranko, I will love you…." He told her. Ranko looked up at him and nodded quietly. She walked behind him quietly as he led her to the building across the street. Ranma followed them. The building was a old brick apartment building, with broken windows and shattered glass laying on the floor. He led Ranko upstairs, to a door with "B3" written on it. It didn't take Ranma long to figure out what was going on.  
"Ranko! RANKO! STOP!" he shouted taking her by the shoulders. She didn't even see him. She just walked right through him. He gasped and followed her still. Ranko looked around the room and turned around, to see the man lock the door. Ranma's eyes grew wide as Ranko screamed and thrashed about as he pushed her down onto the bed and he tore her clothes from her. Ranma took a step back as he forced himself to stay still. He knew if he tried to help her, he would be unable to, and would just get frustrated from lack of ability to do anything. Just then the door broke down and there was the one person who could help her….  
"Stop! Get off of her!" Shouted the dream Ranma. He threw the man away from Ranko, who grabbed her kimono and threw it back on, tying it quickly. She ran to Ranma crying. But the dream Ranma pushed her away.  
"Run away Ranko, I can take care of this," he said to her. Ranko nodded and ran out of the room. Dream Ranma attacked the man furiously, but the real Ranma followed Ranko out of the building. She ran out the door and down the street. She ran down to the beach at the end of the street, the night made everything look so dark, the sand wasn't fine, but rough. Ranko looked about frantically, and her eyes suddenly widened as the man burst out of the apartment building. He looked left then right. Then he saw Ranko. Ranko screamed and ran down to the beach. She saw a huge rock over looking the water. Looking back, she saw the man running at her. Quickly she scrambled up the rock, Ranma following closely behind. Ranko ran until she hit the edge and turned away, as she back to the edge. The man managed to get up and started towards her. Ranko began to weep terrified. That was when a golden light burst from her, and she turned into a golden angel. She looked at the man and blew the golden dust at him. Suddenly, dream Ranma knocked the man over furiously, just in time to get hit with the dust. Ranko was smiling, until she saw the dust had hit dream Ranma. When she saw this she took a step forward to help him, but the light faded away from her, and she was suddenly tumbling into a dark abyss. That was when Ranma felt another jolt and awoke. The blue gem fell off of Ranma forehead, and Ranko hugged him, crying deeply.  
"I'm so sorry Ranma! Please forgive me!" Ranko wailed. Ranma put his arms around her.  
"Ranko, you shouldn't be apologizing… I should apologize for not finding out sooner about…" he stopped talking suddenly as he trailed off in remorse, "but there is still one thing I don't understand…. Why…..why did you feel so unloved?" Ranma asked. Ranko dropped her hands, and hugged her arms as she turned away.  
"I am so selfish… I don't deserve it…." She whimpered. Ranma frowned.  
"Ranko, answer me," he pressed calmly, "what don't you deserve?"  
"I don't…. I don't deserve such care…. I shouldn't want it so much…." Ranko managed.  
"Ranko…d you really feel unloved?" he asked her. Ranko looked down eyes shining.  
"I know I shouldn't ask for such things, I wasn't even real… I should be grateful just for being alive…." Ranko answered sadly. Ranma put his hands on her shoulders.  
"Ranko, you should never…..NEVER have to feel that way. You deserve it more then any of us," he told her honestly. Ranko bit her lip as emotion over took her. She gasped in a sudden realization of something.  
"Ranma! We need to get you help right away!" she looked up at him, her eyes wide. Ranma looked at Ranko a bit confused.   
"Okay, I still don't understand how this is going to make me-" Ranma suddenly stopped and winced and he grabbed his chest.   
"RANMA?!" Ranko shouted in shock and fear. Ranma groaned as the pain he was feeling was expressed in every muscle of his face. He sighed as the pain receded.  
"Whoa! What was that?" he asked in confusion.  
"Oh my god, its happening…." Ranko said her voice getting quiet. She suddenly hugged Ranma around his waist and spread her wings out wide.  
"W-what are you doing?!" Ranma asked as his eyes widened.  
"I'm going to save you Ranma…we are going to China!"  
"Can't I just stop at the house really quick? I need to pee!" Ranma begged.  
"Fine, but only so we can get supplies!" Ranko told him. That was when the liftoff occurred. Her wings flapped and pulled them both high into their air, high over the buildings, and the houses, high over the town, high over the roves and the moon was reflecting against their faces all the while. The air was already slightly chilling, and to be soaring through the air didn't make it any warmer. They cascaded along the sky, and hovered over the tops of houses until they reached the dojo, where Ranko set Ranma down, as she folded her wings. Silently, she opened the door and padded upstairs, Ranma following behind her quietly. When they reached their room, Ranko slid the door open and entered the room, looking around momentarily. She knelt at the dresser as Ranma pulled his backpack out that was already pre-filled and supplied, incase of an emergency. Ranko pulled an outfit out of her drawer, and whispered to Ranma, "Please leave, I need to change…" Ranma nodded silently, and left the room, closing the door behind him.  
"Ranma?" he heard some hiss. He looked up to see Akane in her pajamas looking at him from down the hall.  
"Ranma…what's going on? Where are you going?" she whispered as she approached him.  
"Ranko and I need to go to China for some sort of remedy," Ranma told her. Akane suddenly looked worried.  
"Remedy…for what?" she asked nervously.  
"Akane…I'm disappearing…"Ranma told her honestly.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean just what I said…I'm….going to disappear if I don't get this remedy…." Ranma replied.  
"Why? How?" Akane begged her voice getting sad.   
"Look I don't have time to explain, but just promise me something Akane…Promise me you…" Ranma's voice stopped.  
"Promise you…what?"  
"Promise me…. You'll never forget me…" Ranma said his voice full of pain.  
"How could I…" Akane asked her eyes shining. She suddenly reached into her pocket and pulled out a gold pocket watch.  
"This used to be my dad's, but he gave it to me… please take care of it while you're gone," she asked him. Ranma took it his eyes sad.  
"Akane….." Ranma whispered. He dropped his back pack and suddenly pulled her into a hug. Akane's eyes widened and then closed as a tear ran down her cheek.  
"Ranma…." Akane murmured to herself. Ranma swallowed hard.  
"Goodbye…." He said his voice still in a whisper. It was as if they were too afraid to let go, in fear of never seeing each other's smiling faces again. But somehow, they both knew that they both were thinking, "I love you."  
**  
AHHH! Finished chapter 3 ya'll!! Took me a while, but yay! Newayz, hope u like it so far. I've been neglecting writing. 


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